Clip



Dec. 21, 1937.

R. T. VON PALMENBERG CLIP Filed April 17, 1935 worzo Zaaz Patented Dec. 21, 1937 UNITE srnr 3 Claims.

This invention relates to a clip particularly adapted to maintain in position the glass partitions commonly used to subdivide a counter or thelike into a number of small bins in which may be displayed small articles of merchandise.

In stores selling small articles such as hard ware, novelties, or the like, it is customary to provide counters having upstanding surrounding Walls and to subdivide a counter of this 9 type into a number of small bins by means of vertical partitions. Heretofore, it has been customary to provide partition elements, as long sheets of glass, or the like, at intervals running transversely of the counter and to subdivide the elongated sections thus formed into small bins by means of short partition elements, as short sheets of glass extending longitudinally of the counter between adjacent transverse sheets. In order to properly support both the longitudinally extendmg and transversely extending sheets, square or rectangular filling members of wood, or the like, have been provided each having an upper surface of the shape of the bin required, the sheets being held vertically between adjacent filling 5 members.

Heretofore a clip having opposed flanges adapted to engage a sheet of glass or partition element and an expanding pin portion adapted for entering into a hole in a counter has been 30 provided (U. s. Patent No. 1,760,456, dated May 27, 1930) and has proved highly satisfactory as a support, except for the fact that, made for the support of a sheet or partition element of a given thickness, it does not operate efiiciently 35 for the support of a sheet or partition element of a materially different thickness. In other words, the prior clip has no capacity for adaptation to sheets or partitions of varying thickness and hence must be especially sized for each thickness 40 of sheet used within relatively narrow limits.

Now it is the object of the present invention to provide an improved clip which may be used in a counter of this type to fixedly and securely hold partition elements in position irrespective of variation in the thickness of the partition elements or sheets within wide limits.

Having now indicated in a general way the nature and purpose of this invention, I will pror 50 ceed to a detailed description of apreferredembodiment thereof with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a counter, including partitions supported by clips embodying 55 this invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of a blank for the formation of a clip embodying this invention.

Figure 3 is a side view of a clip embodying this invention.

Figure 4 is a front view of a clip embodying 5 this invention.

In the several figures variously, a indicatesa counter, of any desired type and having suitable, supports, not shown. The counter a is provided with lines of holes b conforming to possible posi tions of a longitudinal partition or partition. element 0 and lines of holes I) correspondingto possible positions of transverse partition elements 0, which, of course, may be longer or shorter than the partitions c, as illustrated in Figure l.

The partitions c and c are formed from sheets of glass and, as will be obvious, are adapted to be variously positioned with respect to the counter a in order to effect subdivision of the counter 20 into bins of various capacities, such as bin at, for the display of various articles of merchandise.

D indicates a clip embodying this, invention and comprising, in general, opposed flanges e, e and f, f and a pin portion formed by opposed members 9, g.

The clip D is formed from a single blank and has its several parts integrally connected. The blank cut to the form of the various parts of the clip is slit from its edges along the lines h, h in order to form opposed pairs of flanges e, e and f, j which are joined by the back member i. The flanges ;f, f being at least twice the length of the flanges e, e. The members g, g forming the pin member extend from the lower edges of the flange members I, J, respectively.

In the formation of the clip from the blank, shown in Figure 3, the members 9, g are bent into opposed curved, as a semicircular, form and the flanges e, e and f, f are bent into substantial parallelism in the dotted lines 7. Finally the lower end portions of the flanges e, e and f, 1 are bent towards each other out of parallelism as indicated at k, the lower. ends of the flanges e, e being brought more closely together'than the lower ends of the flanges f, 1.

As will now be observed, when the clip is to be used the edge portion of a sheet of glass, as

c or c is engaged, as shown in Figure 1, between the flanges e, e and f, f. The pin portion formed by the members g, g is then inserted in one of the holes I), b in the counter and the pin portions thus squeezed together, causing a tightening and insuring engagement of the flanges with a sheet of glass of a thickness for which the clip is sized.

The flanges and the members 9, 9 will be slightly spread and will be held tightly to the glass on insertion of the pin portion into the counter. However, where a relatively thin piece of glass is used, the squeezing action resultant from insertion of the pin portions into the counter, and which is efiective largely on the flanges f, i, may be insuflicient to firmly hold the glass. In such case the closer approximation of the lower edges of the flanges e, e and also, as the case may be, of the lower edges of the flanges J, J will insure a secure holding of the sheet.

As will be obvious, a plurality of the clips will be used with desired arrangement to effect desired partitioning of the counter.

It will now be observed that by virtue of this invention a clip for the support of sheets or partitions is provided, which, sized for effectively engaging a sheet or partition of maximum thickness, will adapt itself readily to effective engagement with sheets or partitions of materially less thickness.

What I claim and desire to protect by Le ters Patent is:

l. A clip for supporting a partition element comprising a pin member, a back member extending upwardly from the pin member, and opposed pairs of flanges extending from the back member, the length of one pair of flanges being at least twice the length of the other pair, the lower corners at the ends of the flanges being bent to- Ward each other whereby the corner portions only of the flanges are adapted to engage a partition element.

2. A clip for supporting a partition element comprising a pin member, a back member extending upwardly from the pin member, and opposed pairs of flanges extending from the back member, the length of the flanges adjacent to the pin member being at least twice the length of the flanges remote from the pin member, the lower corners at the ends of the flanges being bent towards each other whereby the corner portions only of the flanges are adapted to engage a partition element.

3. A clip for supporting a partition element comprising a pin member, a back member supported from the pin member and extending upwardly and in substantial parallelism with respect to the axis of the pin member and opposed flexible flanges extending from the back member and upwardly from the pin member, the said flanges being slit from their free edges toward the back member to form opposed pairs of flexible flanges in close vertical juxtaposition and arranged to flex independently of each other, the lower corners of both pairs of flanges being bent inwardly toward each other for frictional engagement with the opposite faces of a partition element, the bent corners of one pair of flanges being in different horizontal and different vertical planes from the bent corners of the other pair of flanges.

RAYMOND T. VON PALMENBERG. 

